


It Ain't The Money, Honey

by astraev



Category: Young Wizards - Duane
Genre: M/M, Marriage, Same-Sex Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 04:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astraev/pseuds/astraev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom is a spender. Carl is a saver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Ain't The Money, Honey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whetherwoman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whetherwoman/gifts).



Carl was eating cereal, about to be off to work. "I sold that novella I've been working on for months!" exclaimed Tom, walking into the kitchen. He still had the wireless handset in his hand.

"Wow, that's great!" said Carl. "The one that's based on Wellakh's royal family?"

"Yup," said Tom, glowing with pride. He put the phone back on the cradle and took a banana. "The editor said that he hadn't seen such fine socio-political drama in fantasy and science fiction since Dune!"

Impressed, Carl smiled. Suddenly a sick feeling turned his stomach. He said, "When will you get paid?"

Tom froze, banana in his mouth, though he had not yet bit down. He closed his mouth and chewed slowly, pondering his words. "The check will be sent out the first of the month. I was hoping that we could use it to go on vacation."

Carl groaned and pushed away from the table, displeased but trying to contain it. He put his cereal bowl in the sink with a less than gentle clatter. "We should really use that money to put towards the mortgage, so we can retire early and focus on wizardry while we can."

"But when was the last time we got away together!" protested Tom. He stood up too, Tom desperately wanted to hug Carl, who was standing stiffly in the corner, staring. Tom approached Carl and held out a hand to cup his cheek.

Carl softened, slightly, shaking his head. "I want to get away too, but watch a trip to Vegas turn into a wizard's holiday," he said. "I'd rather just stay here, pay off the mortage, and grow old with you."

Tom smiled. "I want that too. But I can sell more stories to do that. Vacations can only happen so often."

Carl sighed and his shoulders slumped, a sign to Tom that his stance on the issue was softening. Carl looked away and then sighed again. "We'll look at the cash flow, okay?" said Carl. "I can't promise anything. I mean, I know we can pay all our bills, but I really want to be free of debt, you know?"

"I know," said Tom, and he smiled. He loved that Carl wanted to protect their future, but sometimes he really wanted to live for now.

Carl smiled, a little lopsided, and kissed Tom. When they parted, Tom's eyes fluttered open and he smiled too.

"I love you," said Carl.

"I love you too," said Tom. He walked over to the hook where Carl's suit jacket was hanging and he handed it to his husband. "Have a good day at work."

Carl grabbed his lunch out of the fridge. "You too," he said. "Sell some more stuff so we can have everything we want, will you?"

Tom smiled and waved as Carl hurried out, and then turned back to celebrate the sale of his novella.


End file.
